Thread: Unlikely Great Pro Boxers?

I've heard a lot about guys who have had amazing amateur careers, won Olympic medals and other championships, but just didn't make the transition to professional very well and fell far short of their potential.

What about vice versa? Does anyone know of any fighters who had bad or average amateur careers but went on to be great in the pros?

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

I've heard a lot about guys who have had amazing amateur careers, won Olympic medals and other championships, but just didn't make the transition to professional very well and fell far short of their potential.

What about vice versa? Does anyone know of any fighters who had bad or average amateur careers but went on to be great in the pros?

chris eubank

A lot of great fighters from other countries had no amateur career at all because the amateur scene in Southern and Central America is nowhere near as developed as it is in the US and throughout Europe. Hopkins had no amateur career, only boxed in prison and was the middleweight champ but I have heard that he only fought a handful of times while in there.

Originally Posted by amat

A lot of great fighters from other countries had no amateur career at all because the amateur scene in Southern and Central America is nowhere near as developed as it is in the US and throughout Europe. Hopkins had no amateur career, only boxed in prison and was the middleweight champ but I have heard that he only fought a handful of times while in there.

Damn thats right I forgot about B-Hop. I doubt I'll find any better examples than him.

Thanks for the replies guys

Originally Posted by ICE COLD BOXING

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

I've heard a lot about guys who have had amazing amateur careers, won Olympic medals and other championships, but just didn't make the transition to professional very well and fell far short of their potential.

What about vice versa? Does anyone know of any fighters who had bad or average amateur careers but went on to be great in the pros?

chris eubank

Chris Eubank was never a great fighter. Eubank and the word "great" do not go together. I doesn't matter how much the UK fans pump him up to be. It's just not true. Wins over club fighters Michael Watson and Thulani Malinga (a fucking gift) are not great accomplishments. Hell the man in all reality loss twice to Ray Close. But was given a gift draw and gift win over him. Just cuz he's foolish enough to think he is, Eubank is not great. Far from it.

Violent demise you dont think your taking the wording just a bit too literally?

Cotto was a pretty ordinary amateur wasnt he?

Originally Posted by Memphis

Violent demise you dont think your taking the wording just a bit too literally?

Cotto was a pretty ordinary amateur wasnt he?

cotto is far from great, as well






7 months from today, and you won't even remember the name "Miguel Cotto."


Judah is gonna trash the prospect, bet the house on it

Yes I know point taken. But if only GREAT fighters are eligible for discussion its a pretty short and sweet thread isnt it?

salvador sanchez ??

Originally Posted by Memphis

Yes I know point taken. But if only GREAT fighters are eligible for discussion its a pretty short and sweet thread isnt it?

agreed.......





there are very few fighters todat that have the potential of being "great"

Cotto was on the PR olympic team if I am not mistaken.Winky Wrights amatuer career wasnt spectacular.

Winky won the golden gloves, and wasn't eligible for the olympics or he would have been to old so he joined the pro's early, but from all I've heard he was a very good amateur.

I know he is not great but Welsh feather weight Steve Robinson had only a few amuture fights and went on to win and defend the wbo belt against a few decent fighters before he lost to Naz.

I just remembered Hasim Rahman. Far from being anywhere close to great, but from what I heard he only had a handful of amateur fights before going pro. He started boxing real late from what I remember.

Yea winky only won the florida golden gloves he never won any national golden glove tournys,and I think he would have had to beat DLH that year to make the olympic team if I am remembering correct.Paul Williams doesnt have a major amatuer background...he says that he had around 30 fights.